Lack of support from fellow nurses!

[Azxrn]

I would just like to share an observation and commentary. These professional forums I believe are most helpful as a resource and sometimes a safe haven for fellow nurses to get helpful advice, information and support from colleagues within the same profession. It is disturbing when I read occasional feedback given to a nurse who is seeking career advice, which is absolutely condescending and disrespectful by some not all members of this forum! One example specifically from the member "free fall" , when replying to a nurse asking advice regarding other careers which she could use her nursing degree after losing her license, his professional advice was for her to get a job as a stripper! Really? Sad to say , but often in times like this, the only thing I hated about nursing, was nurses.... Raise the bar on professionalism and support of one another, because it's better to stick together, show empathy and support. We are just people who may share the same career choice but whose life experience is varied. Have a positive impact upon each other, it costs nothing to be kind and helpful. Some of you need to learn some humilty....just saying. THANKS!

[NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

I'm not familiar with "free fall" or the tone of his/her posts. But I'm sure it was an attempt at lightening the tone by injecting humor. Tempers can flare; people come here to share, vent, learn, teach, etc.

I must say that in the case of the nurse losing his/her license to practice needs no defense because if one is intelligent enough to earn the degree, surely one is intelligent enough to know that a nursing degree is only good for nursing. If there were other uses for it, there would really be no need to take the NCLEX. Even a person holding a nursing degree cannot be employed as a CNA because that requires a certification number.

The poor nurse who lost the license should have already known these things. Had the person been asking for tips on how to go about getting the license reinstated, he or she may have found a more sympathetic ear. But ask a ridiculous question, you'll more than likely get a ridiculous response.

Of course, we all have allowed our sense of humor get us into trouble at times. But on an anonymous website, you'll find quite a few people who don't give a rat's ass about your feelings, my feelings, or the next one's feelings....and holding a nursing license does not make us immune nor prevent us from saying certain things. For all we know, none of us are actual nurses. All that's required is to say we are. I know I didn't have to provide any copies of credentials earned to become a member here. We can only hope that others will be respectful in their responses to our concerns.

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

It is the goal of the allnurses staff to maintain a higher level of professionalism than some of the responses reflect. Many times attempts at humor are not appropriate. If you see posts that are rude, off-topic, attacking, etc, please use the report button found at the bottom of each post.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Amen to all that BSNbeDONE has posted.

I will just add that as a new member here, OP, you may not be entirely aware of some issues that might lead a responder to post something that seems not entirely respectful (in your opinion*). For instance, occasionally there are posters who ask the same questions over & over & over. They don't seem to read the responses, or if they do, they apparently hope for different answers. That can become annoying after a while. As does the licensure question referenced above: what on earth does anyone think you can do with a nursing license other than be a nurse? Especially someone educated as a nurse.

*Speaking of opinions, after a while here, you will find that *your* opinions might not always agree with other folks' opinions. What sounds disrespectful to you in the written word could simply be intended by its author to be a "buck up, this is what you need to do to pass that TEAS test" message. Which, trust me, is needed quite often. For instance, there frequently are some very inexperienced folks here who somehow feel that they are being persecuted by their nursing school faculty, when in fact the reality is that most of us felt that way in nursing school, and to a certain extent is a universal experience. Sometimes we sit have to say "get over it and move on." When second year nursing students are crying foul about being required to pass a medication dosage quiz with 80% or better.......somebody needs to get real with them. (Twice in the last month, BTW)

So welcome to the forum! Spend some time settling in.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I would just like to share an observation and commentary. These professional forums I believe are most helpful as a resource and sometimes a safe haven for fellow nurses to get helpful advice, information and support from colleagues within the same profession.

We are just people who may share the same career choice but whose life experience is varied. Have a positive impact upon each other, it costs nothing to be kind and helpful. Some of you need to learn some humilty....just saying. THANKS!

While I agree that responses to posts should be respectful and adhere to TOS, I disagree that all the responses should necessarily be supportive of the OP or their position. Sometimes they need to hear truths which are completely at odds with their POV.

Take, for example, the OP who wants to make a formal complaint about being fired for a med error. Turns out, another nurse told her to give a drug, but didn't tell her the exact dose in terms of units of measurement. Rather than check the order, the OP gave the drug in mls, when the order stated to give it in mcgs.

In no way should the OP's position be given "support." There is no excuse for name calling, harassment, etc., but if that OP expected to receive support for her POV, she would be disappointed. Sometimes a firmly non-"supportive" comment (aka a good, blunt dose of the truth) is exactly what is in order so that the poster in question understands the gravity of her situation.